If we’ve committed to doing something every day or every week, such as increasing productivity, eating better to lose weight, exercising to get in shape, writing a book, or spending less to save up money, then we can’t make exceptions and skip out on our commitment sometimes. That’s because if we make an exception for just this one day or week, soon every day or week becomes an exception. We’ll never get back to “normal,” because normal is a delusion that allows us to pretend we’re doing our best when we’re not. Further, when we’re being honest with ourselves, we absolutely know this.
How does this play out? We might vow to work on on a given goal every day or every week. However, life inevitably, invariably gets in the way. We then tell ourselves it’s OK to break the commitment just this once, because it’s a one-time exception. We’ll get back to normal after the exception has passed. We’ll get back into the routine tomorrow.
For example:
- “Today is my friend’s birthday party (an important networking event, my kid’s soccer game), so I don’t have time to exercise, write, eat a healthy meal, etc., but tomorrow will be back to normal.”
- “This weekend, I’m moving (working on a big deadline, on vacation) and don’t have time for anything, but next week will be back to normal.”
- “This week is Thanksgiving (the winter holidays, the week after a breakup), and I’m stuffing myself silly and laying around on the couch for days on end, but next week will be back to normal.”
There is no such thing normal. There never has been and there never will be. Every day, every week becomes some kind of exception if we let it. Look back through your calendar. The fabled “normal” days and weeks are rare. They are, in fact, the exception. Thus, we either adhere to our commitments no matter what else is happening in our lives, or we never will.
But what about cheat days? What about rest? Aren’t they important too? Absolutely. However, even cheat days and rest days can be part of our plan. They allow us the space to deviate from our active routine in a predetermined and confined way before we return to our no-matter-what commitments. But for cheat days and rest days to not derail us, we have to plan, limit, and adhere to them on a schedule, no matter what. Just like our non-cheat days and non-rest days. Thus, cheat and rest days aren’t, in fact, exceptions at all. They are part of the routine, crucial components of our commitments.
We either make no exceptions to our commitments or everything becomes an exception.